EXTRA HELPINGS

Eaton's Beach Sandbar & Grill is about to open in early November. Chef Dave Del Rio, left, and owners, Sue and Randy Keuntjes and Gary Giberson, pose on the walkway leading out to the beach on Lake Weir.

With its boardwalk dock stretching into the lake, dive tower and aromas of good eats wafting over the sand, the site evoked a sense of oceanfront New Jersey. Why go to the seashore when the seashore was in your backyard?

"If I understand his vision, he wanted to create another Coney Island and the boardwalks and stuff like in New Jersey, where he was from," said Randy Keuntjes, who purchased the property in 2006 with a dream of reviving the heady heydays of Eaton's Beach.

With the assistance of Operations Manager Gary Giberson, Keuntjes built the new Eaton's Beach Sandbar & Grill they're hoping to open in early November. And when it does, this is likely to become THE newest old spot in southern Marion County to hang out. It's also likely to be particularly popular with people in The Villages.

"On weekends, it's like a parade out there," said Sue Keuntjes, motioning to the drive-up entrance at the end of Southeast 134th Avenue off Sunset Harbor Road. "Easily 100, 150 cars each day asking, 'Are you open yet?'?"

Soon. Very soon.

What the Keuntjes, Giberson, et al have created here is more than a simple restaurant; it's a lakeside destination, a place to play, eat, swim, drink and play some more — a beach very much like Jay Eaton originally crafted. Guests are encouraged to arrive by land or by lake. A new dock awaits the nautical set.

"When I first got involved in this project, everybody would ask me, 'What are you going to name it?'?" Keuntjes said. "As we got to know more about the history, there was no asking that question. This is the right name."

Jay Eaton was a world-champion bicycle racer in the 1890s. In the early 1920s, Eaton purchased the tract on Lake Weir, and with his sons cleared it of beach foliage and created their slice of the Jersey shore here in Marion County. It opened in 1924, and an era began.

Over the decades Eaton's Beach remained a popular place to work and to play, to see and be seen. In addition to the beach and dock, there was a two-story facility built into the bluff that for a time contained a bowling alley, billiards and pinball machines.

Nearly all traces of Eaton's original facility are gone today; only an old, rickety-looking platform a few steps from the shoreline remains. About 10 years ago, Carl and Jayne Pheil opened the downstairs as a restaurant; the food was good, but it felt as if you were dining in a basement. The "kitchen" was in the open just inside the doors; it almost could have been a "chef's table" concept, but wasn't.

That's all gone.

In its place is a gleaming new, two-story facility with plenty of wood accents stressed to make them look, ahem, old. Upstairs, in the main dining area, every seat in the house has a view of the lake. A series of five glass garage doors can be opened for a fresh air, outdoor-dining feel even inside.

"That'll be a challenge, with air conditioning, humidity, bugs," said Giberson. "But we'll overcome it, learn as we go."

And for those who do want to dine in the actual outdoors, a wide porch encircles the upper dining hall — again with spectacular views. "You know these are going to be the most popular tables at sunset," noted Marion County Commission Chairman Kathy Bryant during a tour of the place last week.

The downstairs is fully open to the beach and boasts its own bar, kitchen and lakefront menu. Upstairs, a state-of-the-art kitchen has been installed.

This is fine casual at its best.

The menu offers a fusion of Gulf Coast cuisine from Tampa to Louisiana; a blend of tastes Exec Chef Dave Del Rio described as "Florisiana."

When his grandfather emigrated from Spain, some of his sons moved to Tampa while others went to New Orleans. Del Rio said he bounced between the two cities, where he picked up the best flavors of both worlds — and everything in between.

"This is where I grew up," he said.

"I like classic dishes; that's my style," Del Rio added. "Love comfort food; they're all connected." And his "Florisiana" is a blend that includes grilled fresh fish and steaks along with grits and pulled pork, chicken and waffles and Spanish catfish.

Giberson frequently jokes about the cuisine as being "three Cs and a little B.S.," which stands for "Cajun, Creole, Low Country, barbecue and Spanish."

"It'll be a real mixture of things," Del Rio said. Currently living in Tampa, where he was a research & development chef for Outback and Lee Roy Selmon's and cheffed at the renowned Columbia, he said he plans to move here once the restaurant opens. "I love Ocala," he said.

Keuntjes continued guiding his guests through the facility during the recent tour, pointing out some detail or other, obviously proud of his Sandbar & Grill. "What you see here you won't see in any other restaurant," he said. "The whole idea is to enjoy Lake Weir."

<p>For decades in the middle of the 20th century, Jay Eaton's beach on the southern shore of Lake Weir was THE place to hang out, by all reports.</p><p>With its boardwalk dock stretching into the lake, dive tower and aromas of good eats wafting over the sand, the site evoked a sense of oceanfront New Jersey. Why go to the seashore when the seashore was in your backyard?</p><p>"If I understand his vision, he wanted to create another Coney Island and the boardwalks and stuff like in New Jersey, where he was from," said Randy Keuntjes, who purchased the property in 2006 with a dream of reviving the heady heydays of Eaton's Beach.</p><p>With the assistance of Operations Manager Gary Giberson, Keuntjes built the new Eaton's Beach Sandbar & Grill they're hoping to open in early November. And when it does, this is likely to become THE newest old spot in southern Marion County to hang out. It's also likely to be particularly popular with people in The Villages.</p><p>"On weekends, it's like a parade out there," said Sue Keuntjes, motioning to the drive-up entrance at the end of Southeast 134th Avenue off Sunset Harbor Road. "Easily 100, 150 cars each day asking, 'Are you open yet?'?"</p><p>Soon. Very soon.</p><p>What the Keuntjes, Giberson, et al have created here is more than a simple restaurant; it's a lakeside destination, a place to play, eat, swim, drink and play some more — a beach very much like Jay Eaton originally crafted. Guests are encouraged to arrive by land or by lake. A new dock awaits the nautical set.</p><p>"When I first got involved in this project, everybody would ask me, 'What are you going to name it?'?" Keuntjes said. "As we got to know more about the history, there was no asking that question. This is the right name."</p><p>Jay Eaton was a world-champion bicycle racer in the 1890s. In the early 1920s, Eaton purchased the tract on Lake Weir, and with his sons cleared it of beach foliage and created their slice of the Jersey shore here in Marion County. It opened in 1924, and an era began.</p><p>Over the decades Eaton's Beach remained a popular place to work and to play, to see and be seen. In addition to the beach and dock, there was a two-story facility built into the bluff that for a time contained a bowling alley, billiards and pinball machines.</p><p>Nearly all traces of Eaton's original facility are gone today; only an old, rickety-looking platform a few steps from the shoreline remains. About 10 years ago, Carl and Jayne Pheil opened the downstairs as a restaurant; the food was good, but it felt as if you were dining in a basement. The "kitchen" was in the open just inside the doors; it almost could have been a "chef's table" concept, but wasn't.</p><p>That's all gone.</p><p>In its place is a gleaming new, two-story facility with plenty of wood accents stressed to make them look, ahem, old. Upstairs, in the main dining area, every seat in the house has a view of the lake. A series of five glass garage doors can be opened for a fresh air, outdoor-dining feel even inside. </p><p>"That'll be a challenge, with air conditioning, humidity, bugs," said Giberson. "But we'll overcome it, learn as we go."</p><p>And for those who do want to dine in the actual outdoors, a wide porch encircles the upper dining hall — again with spectacular views. "You know these are going to be the most popular tables at sunset," noted Marion County Commission Chairman Kathy Bryant during a tour of the place last week.</p><p>The downstairs is fully open to the beach and boasts its own bar, kitchen and lakefront menu. Upstairs, a state-of-the-art kitchen has been installed.</p><p>This is fine casual at its best.</p><p>The menu offers a fusion of Gulf Coast cuisine from Tampa to Louisiana; a blend of tastes Exec Chef Dave Del Rio described as "Florisiana."</p><p>When his grandfather emigrated from Spain, some of his sons moved to Tampa while others went to New Orleans. Del Rio said he bounced between the two cities, where he picked up the best flavors of both worlds — and everything in between.</p><p>"This is where I grew up," he said.</p><p>"I like classic dishes; that's my style," Del Rio added. "Love comfort food; they're all connected." And his "Florisiana" is a blend that includes grilled fresh fish and steaks along with grits and pulled pork, chicken and waffles and Spanish catfish.</p><p>Giberson frequently jokes about the cuisine as being "three Cs and a little B.S.," which stands for "Cajun, Creole, Low Country, barbecue and Spanish."</p><p>"It'll be a real mixture of things," Del Rio said. Currently living in Tampa, where he was a research & development chef for Outback and Lee Roy Selmon's and cheffed at the renowned Columbia, he said he plans to move here once the restaurant opens. "I love Ocala," he said.</p><p>Keuntjes continued guiding his guests through the facility during the recent tour, pointing out some detail or other, obviously proud of his Sandbar & Grill. "What you see here you won't see in any other restaurant," he said. "The whole idea is to enjoy Lake Weir."</p><p><i>Rick Allen can be reached at rick.allen@starbanner.com or 867-4154.</i></p>